Resin Crafts!
Resin Crafts show you what can be done with the mold of a grandfather clock.

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Are you ready to sign up for Lori Anderson's next fabulously fun and creative Bead Soup party? Jean has the scoop on what to do to sign up! Jean participated before and LOVED it. Once you have had "soup" with Lori, you just HAVE to have more! It's irrestible. See Jean's blog for the details!

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.

This week's winner is Kristi of Curiosities by K. Congratulations! You have won one of Tari's new clay Circle Components. Send Tari an e-mail with your address and she will get it right out to you.

And now join me in the Humblebeads studios.

Do you ever feel like your bead habit is a serious problem?

Hi my name is Heather and I'm am helplessly, utterly and completely in love with beads. Oh, I mean addicted to beads.

I have a room full of them. Tables stacked and spilling over, shelves lined with containers, bowls and trays filled to the brim. If I didn't buy another bead for a year, I would probably survive. But it would be a bleak existence. I don't think anything brings a smile to my face more than a new pile of beads to add to my collection.

Oh and I'm not picky. I put mass market beads right along with my $100 collectible lampwork treasures. A bead is bead and if they work together, they work together.

Case in point, I stopped in to Michael's today because clay is 1/2 off and well, and whenever there is a sale on clay, I like to clean the store out of my favorite colors. Mission accomplished. So I walk in and there is a big fuss going on in the bead aisle. And then I see it - 50% off tags everywhere. Hold on Paypal account debit card, we are about to take you out for a spin.

So beads I don't need, beads I don't have plans, beads I could have lived without, made their way into my basket. I found some great base metal chain, cool square bead caps, wood beads, ceramic, love the red beaded beads - sort of vintage and the enamel tags that are a lovely turquoise. And look how well they go with my Humblebeads!

Bead rush. Yep, totally and completely addicted.

The worse part of this is that I am in the middle of a major studio purge getting rid of beads that are just hanging around and need to find a new home. You can check out my Big Huge Giveaway and sale on my blog. The giveaway includes over $200 worth of beads and they could be yours. I know, I'm an enabler.

So this week, I'm switching things up -Let's do a little pay it forward and give some beads away this week to someone you know.

Maybe you know a young beader who would love getting some new beads or give a bead to a good friend. You could send beads to Beads of Courage. I know you have beads that haven't seen the light of day for years - let a few of them go. You'll feel better.

Leave a comment letting me know you plan on giving some beads away this week.

(And I won't judge if you immediately replace them with brand new beads.)

One random winner will receive a pair of my Hibiscus charms, pictured above.

Friday, July 29, 2011

"My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view." ~H. Fred Dale

I have a black thumb, not a green one. (Or maybe I have a "bead" one. Ha!)

Flowers and plants seem to laugh at me turn their pretty backs when they see me coming. I water them too much, or not enough. I forget to snip their dead heads off to encourage new ones to grow. Or I pick the wrong plants for the circumstances in my home. I suspect that when the plants see me coming at the nursery they hope I will pass them by so that they may live to see another day in someone else's care. I am not sure that I am learning from my yearly mistakes with plants, but that hasn't deterred me yet. I will try again next year to get it right and hope that I can coax a few blooms to rebound before the first frost.

Despite my propensity for killing every plant that comes to live with me, I am grateful for the ever abundant artisan bead gardeners who create amazing beads and components inspired by the gardens that inhabit paintings like Vuillard's. And I thank the wonderful Art Bead Scene community for growing such marvelous pieces of jewelry so that we can all enjoy the bounty of the July gardens all year long! Come along as we take a stroll through the Art Bead Scene garden, tended with love and attention to every tiny bloomin' detail!

How does your garden grow? And how does Bee Tree by m.e. get these things cranked out so quickly? I notice that she is often one of the very first entries each month (see above). And the thought and complexity of her designs always blows me away. I think that the artisan glass beads coordinate so perfectly with her handmade swirly heart with all the colors of the garden, and that special found object escutcheon (I love that word!) fits in nicely with a secret garden so lovely!

I know a thing or two about hoarding beads, especially glass ones, so I am so glad that this month inspired Pamela of Klassy Jools to let these beautiful beads from a new-to-me bead artist come out to play! Sometimes a handful of lovely art beads needs nothing much to make them all come together in a drool-worthy way like with this bracelet. I don't blame you one bit for keeping this "wrist corsage" to yourself!

The Beading Yogini is seeing red! I love the fanciful mix of colors and textures in this piece. This is one that has such a sense of whimsy and fun, like wildflowers gathered by the handful. I am enamored of the handmade flower button stacked with the bronze flower and the way that it is all connected through color. Delightful!

Karen of Plus Size Bangles created a necklace (above) that would be right at home on my neck and with my wardrobe, but I believe that this is a gift for a friend. What a blessing to have a friend like Karen! The soft muted and earthy palette are so lovely and I love the way the shape of the wood beads mimics the leaf shapes and the beautiful pendant.

Taking her color cue from a bit of broken china, Sandi Volpe created a soldered pendant that reminds me of English tea-time in the garden. I love that this piece of china was from her grandmother's set, so that makes it extra special.

I am always impressed when someone not only makes jewelry but the beads that go into it. It is like singing and playing an instrument. I might be able to do one but not the other. I love that Treasure Island Crafts does both. That is talent! Check out the beads that she created and made the star in a bracelet. So nice!

Tropical Blonde threw a "Garden Party" with her necklace design. I love the soft, vintage-y color palette. It is a dreamy piece. I especially love the little seed bead leaf dangles she created. Great detail!

Janet of Honey from the Bee (above) weaves a wondrous tale of a morning stroll through the garden. I could almost picture myself there, spying secret bunny hideouts and snipping fragrant roses. This organic creation is a lush as the garden in Vuillard's painting. There is a beautiful wildness to it and I am delighted by the unexpected details as you would see along any garden path.

Breaking out of her usual style, Laurel of Rue's Daftique created a charming (get it?) floral necklace with her own hand made polymer clay pieces. I loved reading her analysis of the painting, and especially the focal of the house and how that was her initial focal point but not where her creative garden path led her. Read all about it here.

Creating the fully tactile look of a tapestry, Mary Anne Melo of Middle Earths Jewelry gives us a beautiful cuff. I just want to reach through my computer screen and touch the soft velvet and the cool glass. I can tell that this would be something to live in. Thanks for sharing!

Wow. Oh, wow! Miss Heather of Aquariart (above) has the most creative mind. Her creations are so intricate and thought provoking. This month Heather worked her magic with polymer clay and chose to replicate the house in the painting, right down to the shutters on the windows! Her post tells us that she thinks that the house is the focal of the painting, not the garden, and I have to say that I agree with her! So lovely. So amazing!

Challenging herself to use just a few of the colors from the palette, including one that she normally shies away from, Lesley the Gossiping Goddess of THEAJewellery made a bracelet that is fresh and lively. She found a way to use a color that is not normally in her palette by pairing it with a color that is. What a great way to step outside your comfort zone!

Beth and Evie of EB Bead And Metal Works have done it again! This team proves that two heads are definitely better than one when it comes to a challenge. The colors of the pretty pendant are echoed in the pretty glass beads that Beth created just for this piece. I love the focus on the tree from the garden!

Ooh! Pretty! I love the special pendant that Lynda Moseley of DivaDesigns created for this challenge. Her Rose Mallow necklace (above) combines a detailed floral image transfer on the transluscent clay in a scroll-like pendant with her hand crafted aged rose beads giving it an old-world feeling as if plucked from a sepia-toned photograph. It makes me think of the secrets that are contained in the garden walls.

Miss Mallory of For The Love of Beads has been away from her torch, but with good reason. She didn't let that little glitch keep her from creating and entering the challenge this month! Mallory broke out the polymer clay to create a bracelet she calls "Sweet Morning."

I am completely in awe of the gorgeous flowers that RockyBeads of The Clayin' Mommy created for her necklace. The colors, the details, the finish... all so lovely! Like gathering a tremendous bouquet from your own cutting garden. Thank you for sharing your garden creation with us!

Welcome to Kathy of Catherine's Dreams! She pulled together a bouquet of lovely lampwork beads for her beautiful necklace (above). She tried to pull the colors from the painting and place them in the same position on her necklace. This would be a great design style to use up all those orphan beads that you might have. Sweet posies!

A "Charming Garden" is what Lucinda of Belvedere Beads gives us with her challenge piece. Lucinda makes her own glass headpins in her studio and wired them all to an estate sale find bracelet base. I love that! The colors are so juicy and filled with life.

Elizabeth of Beads for Busy Gals made it just under the wire! I am so impressed that not only did this busy lady make something really beautiful but pretty much all the beads were made by her! I love the soft soothing colors.

Last, but certainly not least, is the sweet earrings (above) from Cilla Tell Your Girlfriends. I have to apologize to her in neglecting her fine creations the last two hops (an oversight on my part). I feel like such a clod (dirt clod, get it? Do I crack myself up, or what?)! I love the soft swirling colors in these earrings that remind me of impressionistic painting techinques paired with the lovely damask inspired bronze clay components. Sometimes simple is best!

I wanted to write about my own bracelet design, but we had another huge storm rage through last night bringing floods and drenching rains, plus it knocked out our internet, so I just couldn't finish until this morning. But I am so very glad that all of you have continued to play with all of us at Art Bead Scene! Check back in a few days for the next challenge and keep those ideas and beautiful creations coming!

If I have forgotten to add you, please contact me (email below) and I will fix it! Thank you!

Thursday, July 28, 2011

I know it's hard to think about the holiday selling season when you are enjoying the lazy days of summer, but now is actually the perfect time to get started. Getting ready for the holidays may seem like a big nebulous goal and you aren't sure where to start - aside from pulling out snowflake beads. I'm going to offer some tips for coming up with a plan to help reduce stress and increase sales when October finally arrives and people are starting their holiday shopping. Here are some tasks to add to your to-do list over these last few weeks of summer.

Goal Setting
Start with the end in mind. Set a sales goal for yourself. It can be monthly or for the entire holiday season. It can be scary, it's okay to think big. Look at your sales from last year and set a realistic goal, but one that stretches your ambition. Break your goal down into weekly sales and decide how many pieces you need to have in your inventory to reach that goal.

Create Your Collections
Even if you only make one of a kind pieces you can start now by building up your inventory. I would encourage you to make collections of jewelry, just like a fashion designer would. Make designs that you can easily replicate, change out the focal bead or color scheme if you don't want to make exactly the same thing. Spend a day sketching out your ideas.

Take a look at fashion trends for Fall and Winter to find some timely inspiration. Look in current magazines and catalogs for upcoming trends as a starting point.

Start stocking up on basic supplies when things go on sale. Make sure you subscribe to your favorite shops' newsletters to take advantage of their sales. Or consider buying wholesale as much as possible to help improve your bottom line.

Where to Sell
Decide where to sell. If you don't have an online shop and sell mostly at shows, consider opening a shop now and add items weekly. Don't wait until October to set up shop online, start now and build your customer base so when the holidays roll around you'll have people who have already had a great shopping experience with you. You won't feel like you are learning all the ins and outs of selling online when you are busy with the holiday rush.

I would also suggest finding a holiday art show or two and apply for them. Do this today, as deadlines may be fast approaching. If you have missed a deadline, give the show promoter a call and see if you can be put on a wait list. You never know until you ask.

Make plans now to host a holiday open house. You might consider pairing up with a few other artists or indie biz owners and plan a group show together. Start now by collecting names and emails at local shows to invite your customers to this event.

Approach new shops and galleries now to carry your work. Don't wait until the holidays, they will have already purchased their inventory. Also if you are in a few shops already, set up a time to show them your fall and holiday collection before the end of the summer.

Marketing
If you aren't collecting emails for a newsletter, start that today. You can use free services like MailChimp or a paid service like Vertical Response. Schedule to send out a newsletter monthly or bi-monthly.

Set up social media accounts if you don't have them already - Twitter, a Facebook page for your business and a blog are the three big ones. Have a neglected blog? Take steps now to spruce it up and build up your readership. Learn these three basics and build up your following slowly over the next few months. You'll be glad you did! If that seems overwhelming then pick one and learn the basics. Read articles online on how to use these sites to promote your business in a non-spammy way. There is a right and wrong way to use social media. I recommend the blog ebooks from Crafty Pod. I took a blog class with Diane last year and it's really worth the investment.

Research your advertising options on popular blogs. Contact blogs to introduce yourself. Set up cross promotions with other blogs, like interviewing each other or doing giveaways.

Read the archives on Modish Biz Tips for helpful advice for any of these areas. Subscribe to Handmadeology for great tips on selling on Etsy. And for great business tips subscribe to Crafting an MBA and check out the resources on the website.

Come up with a holiday sales plan and work it now so that when the holidays are actually here you can enjoy the festivities instead of feeling like you are spinning your wheels trying to catch up!

-Heather Powers is the editor of the Art Bead Scene and the creative force behind Humblebeads.com.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

When I first began beading, I didn't know what a lampwork bead was. I now know they're little works of art, and the best are handmade, not factory made, by artisans all over the world. The beads are made by melting rods of glass over a flame from a gas-powered torch with either air or oxygen as the oxidizer. The beads are then put in a kiln to be annealed, or slowly cooled to avoid thermal shock.

My own kiln and torch.

There are two types of glass -- soft glass, or soda lime glass, and borosilicate glass, commonly known as boro glass. Soft glass melts at lower temperatures, while boro glass melts at higher temps, requires a hotter torch, and the glass rods are more costly.

Today I'm going to show you some beautiful lampwork beads found on Etsy. Enjoy!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

As some of you may know Vintaj has started a great new partnership on their blog, Art Bead Partner.

They choose the theme, Art Bead Artist and partner with them for a month using their products and the art beads (buttons) made by the artist.

Here are the details from Jess at Vintaj:

"As you know, here at Vintaj we LOVE working with Art Beads! We are all huge fans of Art Bead Scene and follow many bead artist’s blogs, incorporate their unique handmade components into our jewelry and share some of their sites on our Favorite Art Beads page. Today I’m excited to announce a new blog feature ~ our design team recently came up with the concept of featuring a monthly Art Bead Partner to reflect our design themes."

I am very fortunate to be their Art Bead Partner for August. I created a new collection of buttons and beads just for this partnership. I was so thrilled to be asked to be an Art Bead Partner, I had to make something special.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Welcome to Studio Saturday! Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.

Happy Saturday! I'm going to continue with Jennifer's theme from last Saturday on organization.Until recently my studio has been an absolute disaster. Meaning there was a path from the door to computer and counter where I worked. To get anywhere else you had to step over or do the sideways shuffle to find anything. It was bad. The picture above shows the beginning of the organization. The shelves (missing the doors) on the left are holding my glazes and molds plus other things that don't belong, just so I could make a path. It was a HUGE job. There are still random items sitting on the counters but it going to have to wait. In cleaning this monstrous mess I hurt my back. Seems I can no longer dead lift boxes of clay. Never used to be a problem. When did this happen? When did I get old or to a state where I couldn't lift and pay dearly for it? I was in shock the following morning. I am not the kind of person that likes to be down or sickly and not do for myself. It is getting better, but I am impatient!

The counter where I make and glaze buttons. Wow, who lined up those glaze bottles!
I know you're jealous of my newly tie dyed curtains. Fun, funky and functional! Groovy too!

I moved my desk to the other end of the studio. Shelves are in it's place. You can see the eye painting from school days or "the creepy eye picture" as my daughter calls it, One of the many pieces I unrolled and clipped to the easel. My son keeps waiting for more art treasures to be uncovered to hang in the house.
I can now get to easel! *Snoopy Dance* The pottery wheel is just below it.
This side of the room is "possibilities." Things uncovered with the possibility of now being able to paint or throw on the wheel again. I love possibilities!

My question this:
What possibilities do you have or might have?
An opportunity? A show?

Leave a comment and you could win one of the Four Circle components.
Use it as a connector, a pendant maybe a clasp...possiblities!

Friday, July 22, 2011

The awesome Brenda Sue from B'Sue Boutiques sent me a sample collection of Russian Goldplate filigree to experiment with while I'm exploring vintage jewelry and Miriam Haskell inspired designs. I love the color and finish so much I wanted to share it with because it's something I would have overlooked shopping online.

The finish has a beautiful satin quality, a little on the matte side. The color is rich and complex. I could see it mixed and layered with darker brass findings to update the vintage look. I also like the idea of using art beads that have a matte finish like the Humblebeads and Vintage Meadow pieces shown. Add some contrast with glass, crystals or stones.

About Russian Goldplating:

"Russian Goldplating is a *specialty finish* exclusive at B'Sue Boutiques that is the closest thing you will ever find to the rich look of Victorian rolled-gold plate, or the unique look of Miriam Haskell-style findings.

The finish that was applied to the Haskell-style findings was a secret. It is no longer used in the plating trade. We rejoiced to find that our muted 18K gold based plating bath with its honey-sepia-cinnamon antique is so near in appearance to the old vintage findings that it can only be told apart, side to side, nuance by nuance."

Thursday, July 21, 2011

I recently discovered Scottish glass artist Louise Nelson and just had to share her wonderful birds with you. I could see them paired with brass branches, leafy chain and Czech glass leaves and flowers.

She has a very limited offering in her Etsy shop, but maybe if we buy her out today that will spur her on to share more of her feathered friends with us!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Recently I visited my friend Melissa Rediger's blog, particularly this post, and realized not only is Melissa a super-talented glass and jewelry artist, but her daughter has an AMAZING wealth of talent -- and is only 11-years old.

I decided to interview Jayla to learn more about her and to introduce you to this lovely artist.

Her pendants are on the left and her mom's art beads are on the right, it's easy to see where Jayla learned her sense of color!

L: How old are you, what grade are you in, and what do you want to be when you grow up?

J: I am 11 years old, I am going to be in 6th grade, And I don't for sure know what I am going to be when I grow up, but I will probably do something with beads , but I have a while to think about that.

L: What are your favorite colors to work with?

J: I don't really have favorite colors to work with, but usually I use brighter colors. My first pendant was purple, blue and pink.

L: When did you start selling your work, and where did you make your first sales

J: I think when I was about six, me and my little sister made these little $7 bracelets for little girls. (But my little sister didn't have very many 'cause her attention span was very short and she always got lost in the T.V..) And then when we ( I ) got a little bit older and I started making little wire necklaces for $10. Then when I was about 9 I started making necklaces that were bigger and the wire was flexible and I put little crystals on it for $15. And Mom sold them at her bead shows and open houses.

L: Jayla, what started you on the path to creating?

J: Watching my mom create jewelry, I always wanted to make some beads too, but I was a little afraid of the fire that she uses to make the beads. So I helped with the little things, like if she would buy a strand of beads, she might say to me to go and find a focal bead to mach it, or if she would be making lunch she might ask me to string a few beads and stuff like that.

L: What other creative things are you interested in pursuing?

J: If mom would ever take another class and learn some new techniques or fun projects with beads, I would probably try some of them. Maybe when I am a little older I will probably try making a necklace with one of my pendants.

I think it's fantastic when our kids follow in our footsteps. I know when Zack shows interest in what I do, I'm over the moon, and when he picks up a paintbrush or even a Lego kit, I'm excited because I see the possibilities when his brain starts clicking on things other than TV and video games.